Gerbera plant named ‘Flokaroo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gerbera  plant named ‘Flokaroo’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with pink and pale yellow-colored ray florets; upright and strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gerbera hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FLOKAROO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant, botanically known as Gerbera hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Flokaroo’.

The new Gerbera plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact potted Gerbera plants with numerous attractive inflorescences and good garden performance.

The new Gerbera plant originated from a cross-pollination made during the spring of 2010 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number FL 16, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gerbera hybrida identified as code number FL 75, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gerbera plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the summer of 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by cuttings and by tissue culture in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the summer of 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gerbera have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Flokaroo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Flokaroo’ as a new and distinct Gerbera plant:

-   -   1. Compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Numerous inflorescences with pink and pale yellow-colored ray         florets.     -   4. Upright and strong scapes.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger leaves than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have smaller inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have smaller leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have larger inflorescences than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Gerbera can be compared to plants of the Gerbera hybrida ‘Floglades’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,402. Plants of the new Gerbera differ from plants of ‘Floglades’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gerbera have smaller inflorescences than         plants of ‘Floglades’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gerbera have smaller ray florets than         plants of ‘Floglades’.     -   3. Plants of the new Gerbera and ‘Floglades’ differ in ray         floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Gerbera plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gerbera plant.

The main photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Flokaroo’ grown in a container.

The smaller photograph is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Flokaroo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Gerbera production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs were taken and 30 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gerbera hybrida ‘Flokaroo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number FL 16, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gerbera             hybrida identified as code number FL 75, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings and by tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, by cuttings, summer and             winter.—About 3.5 weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, by tissue culture, summer and             winter.—About 2.5 to 3 weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by cuttings, summer             and winter.—About 3.5 weeks at temperatures about 20° C. to             26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, by tissue culture,             summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at temperatures             about 20° C. to 26° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous perennials that are typically grown             as container or garden plants; compact and uniformly             mounding plant habit, broadly upright and roughly globular             in shape; numerous leaves arranged in basal rosettes and             outwardly arching; dense and bushy habit; inflorescences             held above the foliar plane on erect and strong basal             scapes; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 32             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescences.—About 48             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 63.6 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 26.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 11.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly obovate; runcinate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Coarsely and irregularly angulate; sinuses             divergent; undulate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent along main vein;             bullate.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Moderately tomentose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A to 138B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A;             venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144A to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture, upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Densely pubescent. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to             146D; towards the base, tinged with close to 182B to 182C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets; solitary inflorescences             borne on upright and strong scapes above the foliar plane;             ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 16 weeks             after planting; under garden conditions in The Netherlands,             plants flower from early spring to late summer; plants can             be flowered year-round in the greenhouse.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Depending on the temperature,             inflorescences last about two to four weeks on the plant;             inflorescences not persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             about twelve open and developing inflorescences per plant at             one time.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About             3.9 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Between 145A and             149B; immature disc florets, close to between 200A and 203A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11.3 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.8 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.7 cm. Receptacle             height: About 6 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.1 cm.             Receptacle color: Close to 155C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 240 per             inflorescence; 90 arranged in outer three whorls and 150             arranged in the inner five whorls. Orientation: About 60°             from vertical. Length, outer ray florets: About 4.8 cm.             Length, inner ray florets: About 2.6 cm. Width, outer ray             florets: About 1 cm. Width, inner ray florets: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety.             Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly longitudinally ridged. Color, outer ray florets:             When opening, upper surface: Towards the apex, close to 8D;             towards the base, at the apex, along the margins and main             vein, heavily tinged with close to 52B to 52D. When opening,             lower surface: Between 145A and 149B. Fully opened, upper             surface: Towards the apex, close to 10D; towards the base,             at the apex, along the margins and main vein, tinged with             close to 59D; color does not fade with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 5C to 5D; color does not             fade with development. Color, inner ray florets: When             opening, upper surface: Between 53B and 59B; towards the             base, close to 4C. When opening, lower surface: Close to             150B. Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the apex, about             30% of the ray floret, close to 52B; towards the base, about             70% of the ray floret, close to 8D; color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 5D; color             does not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 150 massed at             center of receptacle. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About             3.5 mm. Shape: Tubular. Apex: Acute; upper 20%, free. Base:             Lower 80%, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, prior to opening: Apex:             Close to 180D. Mid-section: Close to 4D. Base: Close to             155A. Color, when opening: Apex: Between 53B and 59B.             Mid-section: Close to 4C. Base: Close to 155A. Color, fully             opened: Apex: Close to 52B. Mid-section: Close to 8D. Base:             Close to 155A.         -   Pappus.—Quantity of hairs per floret: About 50. Length:             About 6 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Texture: Soft. Color:             Close to 177C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 80 per             inflorescence arranged in about three whorls. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width (at base): About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Densely tomentose. Color, upper surface: Close to             143C. Color, lower surface: Close to 143A to 143B.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 43.8 cm. Diameter: Proximally, about 8             mm; distally, about 6 mm. Angle: About 15° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Densely tomentose. Color: Close             to 144A; distally, close to 147B; proximally, close to 199A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             6 mm. Filament color: Close to 11D. Anther shape:             Lanceolate. Anther length: About 5 mm. Anther color: Close             to 11A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 15A.             Gynoecium (present only on ray florets): Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Stigma shape:             Cleft. Stigma color: Close to 4B. Style length: About             1.1 cm. Style color: Close to 11C to 11D. Ovary color: Close             to 155A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Gerbera. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Gerbera plants has not been observed on plants of the new Gerbera     grown under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gerbera have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gerbera plant named ‘Flokaroo’ as illustrated and described. 